


Everyone Needs a Ghoul Friend

by TheCloakedFlea



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alex is a mush, Carrie needs a hug, Dirty Candy, Fluffy, Friendship, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:08:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26796394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCloakedFlea/pseuds/TheCloakedFlea
Summary: Ever since his short-lived time on stage with Dirty Candy, Alex got the sense that Carrie was putting on a front. He decides to poof into her room one night and find out for himself if it is all just an act.
Relationships: Alex & Carrie Wilson
Comments: 7
Kudos: 233





	Everyone Needs a Ghoul Friend

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by @notthatfaraway on my Tumblr.  
> "I would love a fic where Carrie and Alex become friends. Just like Reggie hangs out with Ray sometimes, maybe Alex starts doing the same with Carrie. And then one day Carrie is able to see him and of course, they both completely freak out (like Julie and the guys did that first time they met), but after that, they bond over dancing, music, boys, etc. And she'll show him tv-shows/movies/music that's LGBTQ."
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

Ever since his short-lived time on stage with Dirty Candy, Alex got the sense that Carrie was putting on a front. She had talent and her songs were good, but in his mind, the lyrics were a little deeper than the skin deep bragging many assumed they were. They were self-motivating, beg to be seen by someone - Her family maybe?

Of course, he’d never tell Julie this with Carrie being her ex-friend and all, but Alex felt sorry for Carrie. So Alex decided he wanted to know a little more about her. It was easy finding her house, especially because it belonged to that idiot Bobby, so after rehearsal, he told the band he was going to visit Willie, but instead poofed over to Carrie’s house.

When Alex materialized in her room, he noticed Carrie was on her large bed, already in her pajamas, and scribbling in her notebook. He assumed it was homework, she had the same concentration face on as Julie did when she was trying to figure something out, but when the girl started humming he realized she was actually writing song lyrics.

_“I didn’t mean to say it, I wish I could erase it,_

_I guess it’s clear why no one stays_

_When things get crazy or I get a little lazy,_

_I tend to push those I care about away_

_But nothing hurts as much as when you walked out that door_

_I wish it didn’t change us or made me feel like I have to keep score”’_

Carrie sang lightly, then scrunched up her nose and crossed out a line. Alex could tell this song was personal, and while he liked her normal fast-tempo pop songs there was a beautiful rawness that pulled him in. 

Carries phone pinged to life with a call, Nick’s picture flashing across the screen, and Carrie shifted focus and unlocked it with ease. Alex felt like he was intruding by listening in on the conversation, especially when the first words out of Carrie’s mouth were, “What do you mean we need to talk?” so he poofed away as quickly as possible.

That visit was the first of many, predominantly at night although Alex did poof into one Dirty Candy rehearsal and absolutely loved it. He saw a side to Carrie that he’d never seen before. She was more personable and real, not the front she put on at school or when performing.

One night in particular Alex popped in and saw Carrie balled up on her bed crying. His first thought was that it had something to do with Nick and their break up a few nights ago. It seemed to the rest of the world she didn’t care that he broke up with her while really she was struggling with it. Struggling with pretending she was fine and like it didn’t hurt.

Then Alex heard a door slam and Carrie threw the nearest thing to her, thankfully a pillow, in frustration at the door and let out a tiny scream. “He doesn’t care about me at all!”

Alex wasn’t thinking about what he was doing, but he came sat down on her bed, trying to figure out a way to console the girl he had come to somewhat know over his late-night visits. Something was different though because Carrie stopped crying and slowly sat up, looking directly at Alex.

And he knew right then and there, that she saw him.

They both screamed, of course, but the only reason Alex was screaming was because Carrie was screaming. When both had silenced, Carrie got up from her bed as quickly as possible trying to put some distance between her and Alex was.

“Why the hell is one of Julie’s holograms sitting on my bed?” Carrie mumbled to herself, before pinching her wrist and wincing. “Is this some joke or something, am I being pranked or whatever.”

“This isn’t a prank I promise, but – uh you see me? You can hear me?” Alex asked bewildered, not understanding this new development.

“Um, duh you’re standing in my room? What the hell are you doing here, I don’t see a projector so this,” Carrie said gesturing at him, “doesn’t make any sense?”

“Okay, for starters I’m not actually a hologram,” Alex said, trying to figure out a way to explain his situation to Carrie without scaring her half to death. But as Alex had come to find out there was no easy way to say _“hey I’m a ghost”_ without freaking people out.

So he just came out and said it.

“I was apart of a band, Sunset Curve, back in the ’90s and me and two of my bandmates…had an accident,” Alex said, not really wanting to get into the specifics just yet. “So after we died, we were in this room for what felt like an hour, but really was 25 years and we came back after Julie played our CD in her garage, and until now the only time people could see us is when we played music with her.”

“…But I can see you,” Carrie said and Alex was taken aback. She caught on a lot quicker than Julie and Flynn did, and the fact that her only comment was that she could see him made him relax slightly.

“You believe me…that I am a ghost?”

“…yeah…I guess I do.” Carrie said with a breath, “I mean it would have taken something really big to get Julie to sing again after a year, and that does explain why you just poofed in out of nowhere….but why exactly are you here?”

That was the question of the hour, but it was an answer Alex thought Carrie deserved.

“Um, so funny thing,” Alex said sitting down on Carrie’s bed again, with her following in suit. “I actually have been coming here for a couple of nights now –“

“What are you like stalking me?” Carrie blanched and Alex shook his head profusely. 

“No no, I promise,” He stammered, “I just, when I was on stage dancing with Dirty Candy-“

“You danced on stage with us?” Carried said dumbfounded.

“Yes, your songs are really catchy, anyways when I was on stage dancing with you I got this feeling, when I walked through you, that deep down you had a good heart. So I wanted to come to see who you were away from everyone and it’s true. You are a totally different person than everyone thinks you are.”

“You mean I’m not a self-centered prima donna?” Carrie said raising one of her brows and Alex gave her a small smile in return.

“No, that’s not you. That song you were writing a couple of nights ago…that was you.”

“That was private, you need to learn your boundaries….” Carrie trailed off realizing she didn’t know the ghost’s name.

Alex smiled bigger, remembering the conversation between Julie and Luke, before quickly introducing himself to Carrie.

“Alex. My name is Alex.” He said.

“Well Alex, I have nothing else to do tonight and since I currently find myself boyfriendless and without many other friends – shocker there – would you want to stick around and watch a movie or something.”

That movie or something turned out to be the start of a unique but beautiful friendship. Carrie and Alex would watch chick flics (Carrie making sure to sprinkle in some 90’s ones in there for some nostalgia) as well as introduced him to more current music and Just Dance which had the two dying in laughter as Alex broke out some of his sick moves.

The two also bond over the deep stuff, like Carrie feeling like she didn’t have anybody who truly saw her. Her dad never made time to come and see Dirty Candy perform or even really spent that much time with her. Alex opened up to her about Willie, avoiding the whole ghost club thing, but expressed his worry about not knowing what the other boy was thinking and if Willie even wanted to be with him or not.

At first, when Alex came out to Carrie he worried she would judge him, or push him away as his parents did, but instead, she welcomed him with open arms. Until speaking with her about his sexuality he had no idea gay marriage was actually legalized and that in another world he could have actually gotten married to someone he loved. He also didn’t realize how accepting the world had become of gay people or the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. She showed him videos from pride celebrations, watched interviews with out and proud celebrities, and it was enough to almost make him cry - but he refused to let Luke and Reggie be right about him being the emotional one.

The two grew closer over Alex’s visits, and apparently, according to a conversation Alex had just so happened to overhear between Julie and Flynn, Carrie had become in Flynn’s words “more tolerable” at school, which made Alex happier than he thought it would.

But, of course, things weren’t all that peachy-keen, and Alex knew he’d soon have to cross over or blink out of existence entirely. He didn’t have the heart to tell that to Carrie, especially after how surprisingly close the two had grown.

After learning him and the band had booked the Orpheum gig, and band practice was over, Alex decided he’d poof over to Carrie’s to tell her.

When he poofed into her room though she wasn’t there, so instead he decided to venture out and try to find where else she could be. He found her in the Kitchen getting a cup of water, and when she turned around and saw him, a little water sloshed over the edge of her cup as she jumped back in surprise.

“Alex, you can’t do that.” She said with a small laugh and he let out a chuckle of his own.

“I’m sorry, I just needed to find you to tell you what just happened to the band.”

Suddenly the smile was gone from her face as Carrie set the cup down and turned to look at him.

“I know. You’re going to play the Orpheum.”

“Yeah?” Alex said confused, “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Carrie said sincerely taking in a breath and exhaling, “I’m happy for you, it’s just…God it’s stupid never mind.”

“No, Hey!” Alex said as she started to walk away, “What you’re feeling, what you’re thinking, isn’t stupid. I promise.” Alex patted the counter and pushed himself up to sit on it. Carrie followed in suit sliding up beside him and let out another breath before starting.

“I guess I just kind of feel jealous. I have been working my ass off to be a star, to be a good performer, and to make my dad proud of me…and to watch you guys and Julie get further than Dirty Candy and I in a few weeks.” Carrie looked down and Alex could see her eyes getting glassy. “What if I’m not good enough? What if I’ll never live up to being as good as Dad.”

Alex never thought he’d be in this position, and while he wanted to turn and tell Carrie that she shouldn’t be stressed about living up to her father because he stole the songs that made him famous he knew that wasn’t what she needed to hear right now. So instead he took a different route.

“Carrie, do you remember that song I caught you working on?” Alex asked and the girl nodded her head. “I believe that last line went, _I wish it didn’t change us or made me feel like I have to keep score” -_ Do you remember that?”

Again Carrie nodded and muttered, “Where are you going with this.”

“Well, Carrie, I think you should not, and I’m going to quote a very talented artist here, “feel like you need to keep score”. Dirty Candy and Julie and the Phantoms are two totally different bands with two totally different singers. You are each going to find your way to the top by doing it your way. Not each other's way. You are an amazing, shining-star in your own right, don’t try to become like someone else to get further okay.”

She smiled and nodded her head for the third time.

“You know, I’d love it if you would come out and watch us perform there. It would mean a lot to me, and probably Julie, to have a familiar face in the audience supporting us.” Alex said sincerely.

“You think? I mean my dad is already dragging me along so I’ll be there…but do you think Julie would be happy to see me?”

Alex paused for a moment, thinking over his words carefully. “Honestly, I do. I also think you should play her that song you wrote to her some time. I think she’d love that as well.”

“Maybe one day,” Carrie said sliding off the counter and picking up her glass of water, “For now I’ll stay supportive from afar. Now come on, I think I found our new favorite show to binge.” Carrie said walking past him and up the stairs.

Alex gladly followed after her, excited to see what she had picked out for them, and coming to the conclusion if he were to disappear that he’d be happy knowing Carrie knew exactly how talented he thought she was.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. You can check out more of my stuff at my Tumblr oozing-chemistry


End file.
